Sense and Sensibility’s Charity Wakefield will star in upcoming soap spin-off, Casualty 1907.That period drama is just one of two major projects set to boost her profile this year.

She can also be seen with The Bill’s Amita Dhiri in new movie Act of God.

That thriller will feature Max Brown, who played Mark Russell in the revamped Crossroads.

Peter O’Brien, star of Neighbours, The Bill and Casualty, has also signed up to appear in the big-screen offering.

It seems like Gerard O’Donovan in the Telegraph liked it:

Cross dressing, cod lesbianism and idiocy on the international tennis circuit probably wouldn’t be most people’s idea of the perfect background for a modern reappraisal of a classic fairy tale. But unlikely as it may seem, BBC1’s reworking of Rapunzel as a slapstick comedy, in which a failing East European tennis pro is persuaded to bluff his way into a UK ladies’ tournament in a desperate bid to win some cash, was an unexpected hoot. (more…)

Ep 1/4
Drama BBC ONE

Four classic fairy tales made famous by The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault – Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Emperor’s New Clothes and Billy Goats Gruff – are re-invigorated and updated by contemporary writers Ed Roe, Richard Pinto, Anil Gupta, Debbie Horsfield and Jeremy Dyson and brought to life by a host of British acting talent.

Rapunzel, the first fairy tale in the anthology, has been updated by Ed Roe (Smack The Pony, Teachers) and tells the story of Jimmy Stojkovic, a terrible tennis player. Ranked a humiliating 1,004th in the world, he has never won a tennis competition in his life. His father, Sava, is desperate to see his son win a Grand Slam tennis final but the only way he can see this happening is if he disguises Jimmy as a woman.

After a narrow escape from baseball bat-wielding thugs, Jimmy discovers his father owes money to gangster loan sharks – exactly the same sum as the competition prize money at the forthcoming British Tennis Open at English tennis club, Rampion. So Jimmy, reluctantly, decides to don a tennis dress.

All seems to be going to plan until Jimmy, now called Martina, falls in love with the beautiful reigning champion, Billy Jane Brooke. Known to the public as Rapunzel, because of her unusually long hair, Billy Jane still lives with her over-protective mother and coach. Training together at Billy Jane’s fortified home does wonders for Jimmy/Martina’s game and he/she finally starts winning. However, as they grow closer Jimmy finds it harder to keep up the pretence, and he must decide whether to come clean to Billy Jane or stay quiet and win the prize money for his father.

The comedy Drama stars Lee Ingleby as Jimmy/Martina Stojkovic, Shaun Williamson as his father, Sava; Charity Wakefield as Billy Jane Brooke/Rapunzel; and Geraldine James as Mrs Brooke, her over-protective mother and coach. Oliver Chris is Vuk, Jimmy’s tennis nemesis and smarmy love rival; Tony Way is Jimmy’s brother, Boris; Alex Jennings is ex-tennis player-turned-pundit, Roger Bateman; Emily Joyce is Roger’s competitive colleague; and tennis legend Pat Cash also makes an appearance as a tennis commentator.